AT the heart of the debate around Cape Town’s Olympic bid lies a question of ownership. Faced by accusations of nepotism and racism this week, bid company chief executive Chris Ball responded that the spirit of volunteerism was integral to the Olympic movement.
When pressed for details as to the costs of the bid process, Ball sidestepped questions, saying the bid company was funded by private sponsors and he was answerable to its board alone.
Yet, when faced with a lack of public support in the Cape, Ball exhorted all citizens to get behind the bid. When he submitted the Bid Book to the International Olympic Committee, it was done on behalf of all South Africans, as a development initiative.
Faced by scepticism that Cape Town was up to the task of hosting the 2004 games, he tried to rally the African continent behind him. Now lobbying is required, and Cabinet ministers who are paid with tax rands are stepping in to assist.
Who then owns the initiative? Surely it is all South African citizens and the broader community of this continent?
The bid company may not be directly accountable to taxpayers, but if it is successful the preparations for the games will exact a heavy toll on the government’s coffers.
It follows then that we have the right to information about the bid company’s work.
We have the right to know how representative of South African society are the key managers of the company, how much money is spent flying Mrs Ball around the world to lobby the Olympic committee and why Ball’s children were volunteered to perform jobs professionals were hoping to secure.
The public also has the right to insist that the benefits of the games are enjoyed at this early stage by previously disadvantaged communities, and not by relatives of a company director who earns more than President Nelson Mandela.
Even if the bid company is to be regarded as a private business initiative, this does not exempt it from broader public debates on affirmative action and representation.
There are less than 80 days left before the Olympic committee takes its final decision on which city will host the 2004 games. If Cape Town loses, Ball may well find himself cast in the role of scapegoat for the failure. Even at this late stage it is in his own interests, as well as the country’s, to recognise it isn’t Ball’s bid. It isn’t his sponsors’ bid. It’s supposed to be Africa’s bid.